Electrically operated, manually actuated, motor driven rotatable drum chance device

ABSTRACT

A toy amusement machine is disclosed which has rotatably mounted thereon a plurality of display drums each carrying thereon various combinations of symbols at circumferentially spaced positions. These drums are driven by a motor connected to a motor energization circuit including a plurality of parallel switches each consisting of a braking element and a conductor plate. Each drum is stopped independently of the other drums by depressing a control push button operatively associated with the braking element of a respective drum. A release push button is depressed to disengage the braking element from each drum and close the motor circuit to cause all drums to rotate simultaneously.

United States Patent 1191 Ohki 1 51 May 15, 1973 541 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED, 2,545,644 I 3/1951 Benton et al .273/143 0 MANUALLY ACTUATED, MOTOR 3,281,149 10/1966 Miller ..273 143 R DRIVEN ROTATABLE DRUM CHANCE- DEVICE Inventor: Haruo Ohki, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo,

.Japan Assignee: Yosh ieIto, 'I"okyo, Japan, a part interest Filed: Aug. 12, 1971 Appl. No.: 171,194

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 18, 1970 Japan ..45/92035 U.S. c1. ..273/143 R Int. Cl. ..A63f 5/04 Field of Search ..273/l43 R, 143 A, 273/143 C, 143 D, 143 E, 138 A, l E; 46/2,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/l937 Macourek ..273/l43 R Primary Examiner' -Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer A ttorney- Bucknam & Archer [5 7] ABSTRACT A toy amusement machine is disclosed which has rotatably mounted thereon a plurality of display drums each carrying thereon various combinations of. symbols at circumferentially spaced positions. These drums are driven by a motor connected to a motor energization circuit including a plurality of parallel switches each consisting of a braking element and a conductor plate. Each drum is stopped independently of the other drums by depressing a control push button operatively associated with the braking element of a respective drum. A release push button is depressed to disengage the braking element from each drum and close the motor circuit to cause all drums to rotate simultaneously.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATEHTED Y 1 1975 3733" 076 sum 1 or 2 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED, MANUALLY ACTUATED, MOTOR DRIVEN ROTATABLE DRUM CHANCE DEVICE The present invention relates to a toy amusement machine carrying suitable symbols movably disposed for the user to bring into selected, matched combinations.

The invention has for an object to provide an amusement machine which is simple in construction and easy to operate.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide an amusement machine which includes means for prohibiting intentionally unfair handling of the machine;

The objects and features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the machine with its housing removed to expose various interior components thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of part of means holding a rotary display drum in stopped position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rotary display drum and of part of a braking element; and

FIG. 6 is an electrical switching circuit employed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown an amusement machine 100 which embodies the present invention. This machine includes a housing 101 formed by a front case 102 and a rear case 103, these cases being separably joined. The from case 102 is provided with a plurality of display windows 104 to expose to view the various combinations of symbols, hereinafter described, with the number of said windows corresponding to the number of display drums hereinafter described. Designated at 105 is a frame member removably attached to the front case 102 and having mounted therein a transparent cover 106 through which the symbols are viewable.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is a machine frame 107 on which the various machine components are supported. The supporting frame 107 has side frame members 108 extending vertically therefrom. A common shaft 109 is connected at one end to one of said side frame members 108 and at the other to a power transmission unit hereinafter described. The shaft 109 has mounted thereon a plurality of frictional sleeves 109 such as of rubber. A plurality of display drums 110 are rotatably mounted on the common shaft 109, more specifically on the respective sleeves 109' for frictional rotation thereon. These drums 110 are provided on their respective surfaces at circumferentially spaced positions with various combinations of symbols 111 such as for example numerals, pictures, letters, playing card symbols and the like. The symbols 111 are arranged to be successively viewed through the display windows 104 as the drums rotate. Each drum is connected via sleeve 109 to a ratchet wheel 112 peripherally on the common shaft 109 which wheel is provided with a number of teeth 112' corresponding to the number of symbols 111 on drum 110. This toothed wheel 112 is engageable with a braking element 113 operatively associated with a control push button later described.

Reference now to FIG. 3 shows the various operative components of the amusement machine. There are provided as many spring-loaded control push buttons 114 as there are drums and each of said push buttons is operatively associated with each braking element 113 for stopping the rotation of the drum when the push button is depressed. A compression spring 115 is adapted to connect between the push button and the braking element and urge the braking element into and out of engagement with the ratchel wheel 1 12 as the push button is depressed and released.

There is provided a release push button 116 having a crank arm 117 which is connected to one of release levers 118 as indicated at 119. These levers 118 are fixedly mounted on a common connecting shaft 120 extending parallel to the common shaft 109 and pivotally connected to the sides of the machine frame 107. Each lever is operatively associated with each control push button 114 and adapted to bring the latter back into released position, for which purpose the lever is provided with a ledge 121 projecting therefrom for abutting engagement with an extending arm 122 integral with the push button 114. Designated at 133 is a return spring secured at one end to the machine frame and connected at the other to the crank arm 117 of the release button 116. This spring is adapted to bring the levers 118 back into their normal position in which the levers are disengaged from the extending arm 122.

To prohibit intentional maneuvering of the control push buttons 114 to adjust the timing of brakes on any chosen drum, there is provided means for retaining a depressed control push button in locked position until the push button is released upon abutting engagement with the lever 118. This means is shown more particularly in FIG. 4.

The retaining means shown in FIG. 4 includes a lock plate extending longitudinally of the machine and having vertically elongated apertures 126 positioned for engagement with a locking projection 123 formed on the upper edge of the extending arm 122. The extending arm 122 has recessed end portion 124 underlying the projection 123 and defining a clearance to allow the projection 123 to pass through the aperture 126 in the lock plate 125 against the tension of the spring 1 15. Thus, when the control push button is depressed, the projection 123 engages and becomes locked in the aperture 126.

Designated at 127 is a common electrically conductive plate extending longitudinally of the machine and secured via insulating material 128 to the machine frame 107 by means of screws 129. The conductor plate 127 is disposed for contact with the braking elements 113 and forms a parallel switching circuit with each braking element with respect to a motor M, as shown in FIG. 6.

Designated generally at 130 is a transmission gear unit of conventional form which operatively connects the common shaft 109 with a drive motor M.

With this construction, the machine according to the invention is operated in the manner described below.

Depressing the release push button 116 causes all levers l 18 to rotate about common connecting shaft 120 counter-clockwise and press against the extending arms 122 of all control push buttons 114, so that these buttons are retracted and released from locking engagement with lock plate 125. With retracting movement of the control push buttons, the braking elements 113 associated therewith move apart from the ratchet wheels 112, with which the braking elements have been engaged, and come into contact with the common conductor plate 127 whereupon the motor energization circuit is closed to start the motor M. Meanwhile, the release push button 116 and levers 118 are brought back into their normal position by the action of the return spring 133.

Thus, starting the motor M, causes all drums 110 to rotate simultaneously at a predetermined speed. The control push buttons 114 are now depressed successively, when the braking element 113 associated with the thus depressed push button disengages from the conductor plate 127 and engages with the corresponding ratchet wheel 112 to thereby stop the rotation of the particular drum associated therewith and independently from the other drums. The remaining control push buttons are operated in a similar manner to bring all drums to a stop, whereupon the various combinations of symbols 111 on the drums are exposed to view through the windows 104.

Designated at 131 is a flange extending circumferentially from the control push button 1 l4 and disposed in abutting relation to the inner wall of the machine frame 107 so as to restrict excessive retracting movement of the control push button. Designated at 132 is a stop of symbols provided at spaced positions on its peripheral surface, a shaft having said drums frictionally rotatably mounted thereon, an electric motor, a transmission gear unit connecting said motor to said shaft for rotating said drums, a plurality of control push buttons, a plurality of brake-applying means each operatively associated with one of said control push buttons and adapted to stop the rotation of the associated drum independently of the other drums, when the respective control push button is depressed, a motor energization circuit connected to said motor and including a plurality of parallel switches, with each switch operatively associated with a respective one of said control push buttons with the respective switch being opened when said control push button is depressed, a release push button, brake-releasing means operatively connected with said release push button and adapted to release said plurality of brake-applying means whereby said energization circuit is closed by said plurality of parallel switches under the influence of biasing means when said released push button is actuated to effect rotation of all of said drums simultaneously, and means for retaining said control push buttons in depressed position until said release push button is actuated whereby the control push buttons and associated brake release means are released thereby closing said energization circuit through said plurality of parallel switches with the motor being energized until the last of the parallel switches is opened by manually pushing its respective associated control push button.

2. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said brake-applying means includes a ratchet wheel disposed in fixed relation to a respective display drum, a braking element engageable with said ratchet wheel and a spring operatively connecting said braking element with said respective control push button to apply the brake when said control push button is depressed and to release said brake when said control push button is released.

3. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said ratchet wheel is provided peripherally with a number of teeth corresponding to the number of symbols on said drum.

4. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brake-releasing means includes a plurality of levers simultaneously rotatable into and out of abutting engagement with the respective control push buttons when said release push button is depressed.

5. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes a lock plate extending longitudinally of the machine, having a plurality of vertically elongated apertures and a locking projection extending from each control push button and engageable in a respective one of said apertures.

6. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said parallel switches include a common conductor plate disposed for contact with said brakeapplying means. 

1. A toy amusement machine comprising a plurality of display drums each having a predetermined number of symbols provided at spaced positions on its peripheral surface, a shaft having said drums frictionally rotatably mounted thereon, an electric motor, a transmission gear unit connecting said motor to said shaft for rotating said drums, a plurality of control push buttons, a plurality of brake-applying means each operatively associated with one of said control push buttons and adapted to stop the rotation of the associated drum independently of the other drums, when the respective control push button is depressed, a motor energization circuit connected to said motor and including a plurality of parallel switches, with each switch operatively associated with a respective one of said control push buttons with the respective switch being opened when said control push button is depressed, a release push button, brake-releasing means operatively connected with said release push button and adapted to release said plurality of brake-applying means whereby said energization circuit is closed by said plurality of parallel switches under the influence of biasing means when said released push button is actuated to effect rotation of all of said drums simultaneously, and means for retaining said control push buttons in depressed position until said release push button is actuated whereby the control push buttons and associated brake release means are released thereby closing said energization circuit through said plurality of parallel switches with the motor being energized until the last of the parallel switches is opened by manually pushing its respective associated control push button.
 2. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said brake-applying means includes a ratchet wheel disposed in fixed relation to a respective display drum, a braking element engageable with said ratchet wheel and a spring operatively connecting said braking element with said respective control push button to apply the brake when said control push button is depressed and to release said brake when said control push button is released.
 3. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said ratchet wheel is provided peripherally with a number of teeth corresponding to the number of symbols on said drum.
 4. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brake-releasing means includes a plurality of levers simultaneously rotatable into and out of abutting engagement with the respective control push buttons when said release push button is depressed.
 5. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes a lock plate extending longitudinally of the machIne, having a plurality of vertically elongated apertures and a locking projection extending from each control push button and engageable in a respective one of said apertures.
 6. A toy amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said parallel switches include a common conductor plate disposed for contact with said brake-applying means. 